CJUS 4650 1st Edition Lecture 14 Outline of Last Lecture I. What do Victims WantII. Victims and the PoliceIII. Complaints to PoliceIV. Handling Victims with CareOutline of Current Lecture V. Victims and ProsecutorsVI. Victim Witness Assistance ProgramVII. Offers to VictimsVIII. Dismissing ChargesCurrent LectureChapter 7Victims and Prosecutors- Prosecutors are chief law enforcement officers within the jurisdictiono How they can serve victims: Keep victims informed of status of case Support victims with judges, bail, continuances, negotiated pleas, dropped charges, sentences and restitution Protect from harassment, threats, injuries, and forms of intimidation and reprisals Resolve as quickly as possible Assist victims in recovering property from police- NDAAo Victims relationship with prosecutorso 12% never notified an arrest had been made in their caseo 30% never got stolen property backo 60% not informed of right to file a claimo 45% no one had explained to them what their court appearance would be like- Victim Witness Assistance Projects (VWAP)o To address witness and victim complaintsThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.o Intended to restore victims’ faith in CJ systemo Personal intervention as soon as possibleo Immediate relief to injured parties: Hotlines, shelter, food, counseling, transportation and immediate lock repairso Elicit greater cooperation from victims and witnesses- VWAP Serviceso Translatorso Recover lost property quicklyo Social service and mental health referralso Provide info about reimbursement for losses and compensation benefitso Keep victims informed of case developmentso 1974—35% of DA offices routinely notified felony victims of case outcomes 1992—97%o Protecting Victim Witnesseso Intimidationo Criminals, families and acquaintances of offenders, gangs, own family attempting to have victim drop charges-cultural issues- Prosecutor should offer victim:o Protective serviceso Phone number changeo Door lockso Orders of Protectiono New home or relocateo Victim Witness-Protection Program- Dismissing or rejecting charges based on several issues:o Lack of evidence, unreliable witnesseso Police officials, others in prosecutor’s office, defense attorneys, judges, community leaders, media, and vocal interest groups can all affect prosecutor’s decisiono 51% of all felony cases in 1981 not pursuedo 45% of all felony cases in 1988 not
View Full Document